Friends of Lake Griffin State Park

06/18/2026

Sit-on-top tandem LLBean "Cascadia" kayaks, 13.5 ft length with two adjustable seats. Inspected by USCG Auxiliary as structurally sound, but are no longer needed for Friends of Lake Griffin State Park kayak tours. Three boats are available, offered "as is" for $200 cash for each kayak. New owner may want to repair or replace seats and/or bungees. Contact Jeanine at 352-446-3618 to view kayaks at Lake Griffin State Park.

06/17/2026

In observance of Safe Boating Week in May, Friends of Lake Griffin State Park and the park staff have donated 6 infant and child size Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) to Harlow's Helping Hands, a Marion County nonprofit dedicated to child safety on the water. The non-profit maintains prominent signs at two popular boat ramps in Marion County where parents can borrow and return a tiny PFD for their child to use while on the water.

In the United States, accidental drowning is currently the number one cause of death in children ages one through four.

For more information on Harlow's Helping Hands, visit their web site at HarlowsHelpingHands.com.

06/13/2026

Let our Certified Paddle Tour Guides introduce you to the beauty of summer as you paddle a kayak quietly through the wetlands of nearby Lake Griffin State Park. Summer flowers are in bloom, including puffy white balls of button bush flowers, lavender stalks of pickerel w**d, bright yellow petals of spatterdock, and delicate white orchid-like duck potato. Swallow-tail kites and osprey wheel overhead searching for prey, while green herons and red-wing blackbirds hang out in trees near the water. All equipment provided. No experience needed. We'll coach you in basic paddle strokes. Friends of Lake Griffin State Park guided kayak eco-tours through the end of July are now available for reservations . For details, dates, and reservations, visit FLGSP.org. If our schedule doesn't fit yours, ask about a private tour.

06/08/2026

Let us introduce you to the summer flowers, native and exotic aquatic plants, trees, gators, and birds that inhabit the wetlands ecosystem at nearby Lake Griffin State Park. Learn about snails the size of an apple, the many ways to use cattails, and how the early inhabitants found food and shelter and household items in their natural surroundings before the big box stores were available. Marc and Jeanne are Certified Paddle Tour Guides who volunteer with Friends of Lake Griffin State Park. This 90-minute tour is $30 and includes all equipment. Advance registration is required. Visit FLGSP.org for details and registration. All proceeds benefit park projects. Additional tour dates available. Ask us about private tours and Kayak 101 classes.
Flgsp.org

06/05/2026

It's easy to just hop into a kayak and paddle around, but why not learn to do it safely with an efficient paddle stroke that will save energy and prevent stress on your shoulders and elbows? Central Florida has so many cool springs and scenic rivers to explore by kayak during our long summer days! Friends of Lake Griffin State Park will offer a Kayak 101 class Wednesday, June 17. Registration is now open. The 2 1/2 hour class covers choice of equipment, safety tips, basic paddle strokes, and a mini-ecotour. Learn how to paddle safely among motorized vessels, wildlife, and aquatic plants. Advance registration required. All equipment furnished. For details and registration, visit FLGSP.org. Eco-tours and private tours also available.

06/02/2026

Twelve paddlers joined us Saturday night, May 30, for our sunset tour. Although we didn't have a spectacular sunset, we enjoyed calm water with just enough breeze to cool us. Our four guides -- Dave, Chuck, Karen and Linda -- helped identify the call of the red-wing blackbird, the yellow flowers of spatterdock, white egg sacs of the Florida apple snail, and several invasive aquatic plants. We watched an anhinga perching precariously on a thin branch overhead, gripping with his webbed feet. The clouds parted slightly so we were able to see the glow in the sky from sunset, and then Jupiter and Venus shining brightly overhead. After dark, we switched on our headlamps and spotted (from a distance) the reflections of alligator eyes along the lakeshore. The full moon came shining through and the chorus of frogs sang for us as we paddled back to our launch. It was a peaceful, relaxing evening on the water.

Our next sunset tour will be Wednesday, July 29. Registration is now open.

05/15/2026

Come out tomorrow for an educational and fun event. Signup for the Eco Tour or Kayak 101.

05/05/2026

Join us at this two day event.

05/03/2026

Honor your mother . . . and Mother Nature herself . . . with a kayak eco-tour at Lake Griffin State Park on Mother's Day, May 10. Learn how Mother Earth nurtures wildlife with the cleansing properties of the wetlands eco-system. Look for black crowned night herons, limpkins, anhingas and other birds, while our Certified Paddle Tour Guides tell how early settlers lived off the land long before modern grocery stores and home improvement centers. The 90-minute tour is offered by Friends of Lake Griffin State Park, and advance registration is required at FLGSP.org. All proceeds benefit park projects. No experience needed. Details and additional dates available on the web site.

04/23/2026